Power outlet and plug are two intimately related objects. Since electrical products are ubiquitous in daily life, electricity becomes the most important power source of today. For this reason, the use of power outlet and plug becomes omnipresent in our everyday life. For example, one can easily see power outlet and plug in an office or at home. The power outlet normally delivers alternating current power source. The user can simply insert the power plug of any electrical product into the power outlet to receive the necessary electrical power.
However, when one inserts the power plug into a power outlet, it is often felt that some power outlets are too loose, while others are too tight. The looseness and tightness of the power outlet will also render the following effects:
First, when the power plug is too loosely inserted into the power outlet, the power plug will easily be released from the power outlet either spontaneously or after exerting a small pulling force, which will unexpected terminate the power supply and terminate the normal working condition of the electrical product. In addition, the metallic connectors (the rectangular blades or cylindrical pillars) of the power plug will easily be deformed due to the pulling force, making the power plug unrecoverably damaged.
Next, if the power plug is partly released from the power outlet, the user may accidentally touch the exposed metallic connectors, and experience electric shock. Since the metallic connectors of the power plug inserted in the conventional power outlet are already conducting electricity, the user will certainly experience electric shock when touching both of the exposed metallic connectors.
Further, when the power plug is too tightly inserted into the power outlet, the user would have experienced difficulties for inserting the power plug into the power outlet, that is, the user must exert a strong force to insert the power plug. Nevertheless, it will also be difficult later for the user to unplug the power plug. For some users, such a power plug is even impossible to unplug. Moreover, some users will pull the power cord if a power plug is difficult to unplug. In this manner, the copper wire inside of the power cord may be broken, which would produce short circuit or spark, and induce fire.
For the above reasons, it is deemed necessary to develop a new power outlet that allow the metallic connectors (rectangular blades or cylindrical pillars) of the power plug inserted in the power outlet to easily and rapidly release the power outlet when unplugging the power plug. In addition, the new power outlet should allow the power plug to be securely inserted without releasing from the outlet. This new power outlet should be applicable to the power plugs of all kinds of computer products and consumer electronic products, so as to increase the life of the power plug and overcome the drawbacks of the conventional power plug described above.